League of Women Voters of New York Education Foundation
New York State Government November 7, 2006 Election
	Rachel Treichler Answers Questions Candidate for Attorney General; State of New York

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of New York State and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. The New York State Attorney General is the chief prosecutor for the state and the defender of the people. For which aspect of the job do you think you are most qualified; on which aspect would you personally focus?

As Attorney General I will defend the rights of the people of the State of New York to vote in free and fair elections and to have democratic local self-government. Without these rights, governmental decisions are made without input from and contrary to the interests of most people.

2. Would you target or investigate public authorities, and how would you slow down (or stop) their loophole borrowing?

Public authorities were created for the invalid purpose of getting around the state constitution and borrowing money without legislative approval. They operate exempt from public scrutiny. The Public Authority Reform Bill enacted last year is an unworkable attempt to manage a rotten system. Public authorities need to be eliminated.

3. What should be the role of the Attorney General in ending gerrymandering in New York State?

Gerrymandering is anti-democratic. The attorney general should push for New York to adopt larger, multi-member legislative districts. Studies show that districts with at least five seats are effectively immune from gerrymandering. With large, multi-member districts and proportional voting, how district lines are drawn makes no difference.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League. 

• Original answers for a published Voters Guide were limited to 50 words and are presented as submitted. Candidates have since been invited to supply answers of any length for the Web.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 10, 2006 18:41
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